The Cardinals' starting pitching continued its outstanding run Tuesday night when righty Kyle Lohse, who has had three brilliant starts, stifled the Cincinnati Reds on four hits and no runs for seven innings.
Lohse has permitted only two runs in 20 1/3 innings. He is only 2-0, however, because after manager Mike Matheny took him out of the game after the seventh inning, the Cardinals made three defensive misplays in the eighth as the Reds tied the score.
A bases-loaded sacrifice fly by rookie pinch hitter Matt Carpenter netted a 2-1 victory in 10 innings but not a victory for Lohse.
Matheny admitted he felt badly that Lohse didn't get the win and made a point of telling Lohse that later on. "Watching a win go away from a starter hurts," said Matheny. "It hurt as a player. It hurts as a manager."
This was one of the first tough managerial decisions for newcomer Matheny and he admitted he "gave it a lot of consideration," about staying with Lohse, who had thrown only 90 pitches.
"But that fourth time through the order can be a tough thing to go through. I have tremendous confidence in our bullpen right now. Just like I will tomorrow," said Matheny.
INF Matt Carpenter, back on the bench after knocking in five runs with four hits on Sunday because 1B Lance Berkman's left calf is healthy, was called on in the 10th inning and delivered again. Carpenter's one-out sacrifice fly scored PR Tyler Greene as the Cardinals won for the eighth time in 11 games.
RHP Kyle Lohse's start (2-0, 0.89 ERA for 20 1/3 innings) is similar to his start in 2008, when he gave up just two runs in his first 23 1/3 innings. Manager Mike Matheny, who lifted the veteran after seven innings, apologized to Lohse for him not getting a deserved win but Lohse said, "As I told him, the bottom line is that we win the game. But you've got to love to play for a manager who can communicate like that with you. He lets you know how he feels."
OF Allen Craig, who it was hoped would be ready to play on Opening Day even after mid-November knee surgery, still is in extended spring training in Jupiter, Fla., a few days at least from a rehab option. Manager Mike Matheny admitted he was among those guilty of pushing Craig too much to be ready for the start of the season after he had progressed so well early in camp. "I think all of us looked at the roster and saw the ability to have that kind of right-handed bat in the lineup and tried to push it a little. That's (what) we were guilty of," said Matheny. "The time line should have been the same all along. We just kind of threw it into high gear with optimism. He had a couple of good days but it was too premature to make the jump that we made."
INF/OF Skip Schumaker (strained oblique) will remain at Class AAA Memphis for a while longer on his rehab option, which began on Sunday. Schumaker thought he came back too soon last May after suffering a strained right triceps. Manager Mike Matheny said the club would be careful not to rush him this time.
Cincinnati RHP Johnny Cueto hit Cardinals C Yadier Molina in the back with a second-inning pitch and though it was a breaking ball, a warning was issued by the umpires. There have been hostilities between the teams over the years, notably between former manager Tony La Russa of the Cardinals and current Reds manager Dusty Baker but manager Mike Matheny said he saw no reason to continue the bad blood. "Just play the game," he said. "To try to carry something over I don't think is smart."
0-9 Record of Cardinals hitters with men in scoring position Tuesday. Their two runs scored on a solo homer by RF Carlos Beltran (his fourth) and PH Matt Carpenter's sacrifice fly.
"I'll take him behind me every pitch I throw. He's a good player." RHP Kyle Lohse, talking about 2B Daniel Descalso, who made a key error in the eighth inning Tuesday, helping cost Lohse a win.
